Law enforcement officials from several agencies were rounding up suspected drug dealers on Thursday in Lee County. The suspects were indicted in a yearlong crackdown dubbed Operation STAND. Walter Littrell photo.

Law enforcement officials from several agencies were rounding up suspected drug dealers on Thursday in Lee County. The suspects were indicted in a yearlong crackdown dubbed Operation STAND. Walter Littrell photo.

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JONESVILLE - A yearlong, four-phase operation to rid Lee County of illegal drug dealers became public Thursday morning when it entered its third phase with law enforcement officers from several agencies fanning out early to round up as many as 111 accused dealers.

Sheriff Gary Parsons said those individuals are charged with committing more than 260 separate, illegal drug transactions since the beginning of phase one of the operation last February.

Parsons said the first phase of the operation, dubbed Operation STAND (Standing Together Against Narcotic Drugs), began with the targeted investigation of suspected drug dealers. Phase two began Dec. 9 when Investigator Fred Rouse presented the cases before a multi-jurisdictional grand jury, which returned nearly 100 indictments against various individuals for the illegal distribution and possession of drugs. Other indictments were handed down Jan. 5 by a Lee County grand jury.

A joint statement issued by Parsons and Lee County Commonwealth's Attorney Shawn Hines states: "Today, we launch a major offensive against the plague that is the illegal distribution and possession of controlled substances in Lee County. As part of Operation STAND, we announce the indictment and arrest of 111 individuals in Lee County for a variety of illegal drug crimes. ... As a result of our law enforcement efforts over the past year, we have taken major drug dealers, as well as everyday pill pushers, off our streets and out of our communities."

According to the release, many of those targeted in the investigation became targets because of tips from concerned citizens. Others were under investigation because they have been continually in and out of the criminal justice system. Some, according to the release, were still on supervised probation or serving an active sentence under home-electronic monitoring when they were caught dealing drugs through the operation.

Most of the charges are related to the illegal distribution or possession of oxycodone (OxyContin and Percocet), hydrocodone (Lortab), methamphetamine, cocaine, morphine, methylphenidate (Ritalin), alprazolam (Xanax), burprenorphine, methadone, amphetamine and marijuana.

The Lee County Sheriff's Department was assisted with the roundup by officers of the Southwest Virginia Regional Drug Task Force, Virginia State Police, Jonesville Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.

"We are especially grateful to the Drug Task Force as it continues to help equip and fund the largest part of our investigative efforts in the fight against illegal drug activity," said Hines and Parsons, who added that the roundup will continue until every person indicted is located and taken into custody.

"We're tired of the court giving these folks suspended sentences and slaps on the wrists," said Parsons Thursday morning as officers marched a parade of suspects to the sheriff's office for processing before they were transported to the Duffield regional jail. "We hope these people we arrested today, most of whom are repeat offenders, will get some substantial time and that sends a message to other dealers and would-be dealers."

While many of the suspects arrested are what Hines called lower-level dealers, several were what he considers major dealers.

"This should make them all think twice. I think we got some major dealers off the street today ... about 10 percent of them deal a considerable amount. Most are repeat offenders. A lot of them have had lenient sentences and nobody's scared. I'm going to be asking for prison time for all of them," he said.

Hines thanked the citizens who have offered information that helped lead to the arrests and said he hopes that kind of cooperation between citizens and law enforcement continues.

Parsons noted that additional charges against some of the suspects could be placed as a result of the roundup. While executing a search warrant during the arrest of one suspect, officers found two young children locked in a room. The Department of Social Services was called in on this case, and the children were taken into state custody. The sheriff anticipates charges against the parents to be placed later.

Also, he said, another suspect was located driving down the highway and was arrested via a traffic stop. At the time of his arrest, officers found him in possession of two bottles of hydrocodone, one long gun and two handguns. The drugs and weapons were confiscated, the vehicle was seized, and the sheriff anticipates additional charges being placed as a result.

He also expects the seizure of other vehicles and property from additional suspects.